From Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Department of Highways District 9:

Adopt-a-Highway groups poised to ‘summer scrub’ roadsides, help preserve scenic beauty of the commonwealth
Spring Clean Week in northeast Kentucky is June 6-12

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Volunteers will be out in force soon to “summer scrub” state highways throughout Kentucky. The Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has announced that the Adopt-a-Highway Summer Scrub Week will be held June 6-12.

“The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet appreciates the efforts of our Adopt-a-Highway volunteers who help keep our highways and communities beautiful and litter-free,” Acting Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock said.

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Last week the Kentucky State Police and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Division of Driver Safety held “Operation Drive Smart Blitz” along the AA Highway: Maysville Ledger Idependent: Campaign to enforce traffic safety on the AA Highway coming May 8-14: Operation Drive Smart Blitz (May 4, 2005) , Cincinnati Enquirer: AA Hwy. patrols beefed up (May 8, 2005) , Ashland Daily Independent: State pushes drive smart on A-A (May 12, 2005) 

At a recent citizens advisory board meeting, a route that would widen KY 32 between Sandy Hook and Morehead was chosen as the preferred alternative for a proposed extension of KY 645 from US 23 to I-64.

More information: Morehead News: Proposed KY 645 widens KY 32 east; adds interchange at Rodburn area (April 1, 2005) , Ashland Daily Independent: Ky. 645 debates continue (April 3, 2005) 

The Ashland Daily Independent reports that Carter County officials have high hopes for the proposed KY 645 extension following recent public meetings. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is working to complete a feasibility study to determine if KY 645 should be extended from its current terminus at US 23 to I-64 near Morehead.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Hopes high for Ky. 645 meeting (Dec. 17, 2004) , Morehead News: Second hearing held on KY 645 extension (Dec. 21, 2004) 

From Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Nov. 29 through Dec. 16 the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is holding a series of the public meetings to discuss constructing a new route from the current terminus of KY 645 at US 23 near Ulysses in Lawrence County to I-64 between Morehead and the Industrial Parkway: 12-115.00 

The cabinet will also hold a public meeting on December 9 to discuss the reconstruction of KY 536 in Kenton County: 6-162.00 

Another meeting will be held on December 16 to discuss a proposed bypass of Columbia: 8-159.00 

Planning continues for a proposed project to extend KY 645 from its current terminus at US 23 to I-64 near Morehead. No money has been allocated for construction of the project; however, a $500,000 feasibility study has been ongoing since 2002. The study will help determine whether such a route is needed and present preliminary alternatives for the route.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Ky. 645 extension still on track (Oct. 11, 2004) 

The 60-day regular session of the Kentucky General Assembly ended on April 13. Thirteen bills relating to transportation were passed into law during the 2004 regular session. Click “read full text” below for summaries of each bill.

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Transportation Cabinet Secretary Bailey told state legislators on Wednesday that no projects were cut from this year's version of the Six Year Highway plan; however, some projects have delayed due to the states budget problems.

The list of projects is too long to list here; however, some notable projects are listed below.

• $118 million for the Louisville-Southern Indiana Bridges Project. Some of this money will be raised by selling bonds that would be repaid when promised federal funding is allocated for the project.
• $78 million for reconstruction of the Owensboro bypass to the east of its current alignment. This is meant to improve access to the William H. Natcher Bridge.
• Widening of I-64 from Louisville to Shelbyville.
• Widening of I-65 from the Tennessee State Line to Bowling Green.
• Widening of I-75 in Scott and Grant counties.
• Southern extensions of both the Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway and the William H. Natcher Parwkay.

A notable absence from the list is funding for replacing the I-71/I-75 Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River; however, the project remains on the unscheduled needs list and officials claim that it is still a priority. Construction on the project is still over a decade away.

This year the transportation cabinet has split the list into projects that will receive federal funding and projects that will not receive federal funding. Projects that will be funded only by the state are expected to be delayed and will be prioritized by need.

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The section of the Northeastern Kentucky Industrial Parkway between KY 207 and US 23 at Wurtland opened on Thursday, Sept. 25. The two lane highway connecting I-64 to US 23 is intended to provide improved access to industrial development in Greenup County.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Industrial Parkway opens today (Sept. 25, 2003) , Ashland Daily Independent: 'It's a 50-year investment' (Sept. 26, 2003) 

The last few months have seen the renaming of two parkways and the AA Highway. The Kentucky Post editorialized the situation: Kentucky Post: The name game (Sept. 17, 2003) 

An error in the plans for a new bridge over Barretts Creek in Carter County resulted in a bridge abutment being constructed at the wrong elevation. Work to correct the problem will delay the opening of the bridge a month or more to late September or early October.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Bridge opening delayed in Carter (Aug. 28, 2003) 

The US 60 yard sale will be held in Carter County this Saturday, August 2: Ashland Daily Independent: Route 60 Yard Sale returns to Carter (July 28, 2003) 

On Wednesday, state officials re-dedicated the AA Highway in honor of former Governor John Y. Brown, Jr. Brown was governor from 1979 to 1983 and was influential in the construction of the highway across northern Kentucky.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: A-A Highway dedicated ... again (July 24, 2004) , Kentucky Post: Take your pick: the AA, JYB or Ky. 9 (July 23, 2003) , Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: Governor Patton Dedicates AA Highway to former Governor John Y. Brown, Jr. (July 23, 2004) 

Two-hundred-and-sixty-two photographs of Kentucky's roads have been added to this website. The new photo galleries include:

• Bridges of the Ohio River - Several of Kentucky's 40 bridges across the Ohio River.
• William H. Harsha Bridge Photographs - Photographs of Kentucky's first cable stayed bridge: the William H. Harsha bridge near Maysville.
• I-64 - Sherman Minton Bridge - The I-64 and US 150 bridge over the Ohio River in Louisville.
• Shortway Bridge - The Old KY 1120 bridge over the Licking River between Kenton and Campbell Counties.
• I-65 - John F. Kennedy Bridge - The I-65 bridge over the Ohio River at Louisville.
• US 31 - George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge (Second Street Bridge) - The US 31 bridge over the Ohio River at Louisville.
• I-65 - Miscellaneous Images
• KY 30 - Miscellaneous Images - Photographs of the new section of KY 30 under construction in Laurel County.
• I-65 Warren County Construction - June 29, 2001
• I-65 Warren County Construction - May 22, 2002
• I-65 Warren County Construction - August 15, 2002
• I-65 Warren County Construction - July 5, 2003
• I-75 - Miscellaneous Images - Includes photographs of I-75 widening projects south of Lexington.
• William H. Natcher Bridge - October 26, 2002
• William H. Natcher Bridge - February 8, 2003
• Louisville - Miscellaneous Images
• KY 3 and KY 645 - Inez - January 3, 2003
• AA Highway - Miscellaneous Images
• KY 67 - Miscellaneous Images
• KY 80 - Miscellaneous Images - Along KY 80 in Pulaski and Laurel Counties.
• KY 101 and KY 259 - Edmonson County - November 18, 2001 - A new section of KY 259 and KY 101 under construction in Edmonson County.
• US 23 - Miscellaneous Images
• US 60 - Miscellaneous Images - Photographs of the Cumberland and Tennessee River bridges.

A few new images have been added to the KentuckyRoads.com - Miscellaneous Signs and KentuckyRoads.com - General Images galleries as well.

The transportation cabinet will be constructing a new bridge on KY 1947 in Carter County, but first the state needed to find something to do with the existing 1922 era bridge. The KYTC offered to give the bridge to a party that could reassemble it elsewhere; however, there were no takers. When contractors went to remove the bridge, the bridge collapsed. There were no injuries.

More information: Daily Independent: Can't give it away (June 10, 2003) , Daily Independent: Giveaway bridge in Grayson falls ... to pieces (June 26, 2003) 

Public reaction to extending KY 645 from US 23 near Ulysses west to I-64 is mixed. Some claim it will cause environment havoc; others say it will improve the local economy.

More information: Daily Independent: Public speaks on 645 (June 6, 2003) 

The employees of the eastbound I-64 rest area near Grayson in Carter County received 2002 Best Maintained Rest Area Award from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Carter rest area workers honored (Jan. 31, 2003) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will be repairng a collapsing embankment on I-64 near the Carter and Rowan County line. The project is expected to take 6 weeks to complete, and traffic will be down to one lane in each direction.

More information: Daily Independent: I-64 work will divert traffic (Feb. 17, 2003) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has released the I-64 Strategic Improvement Plan . The plan covers possible upgrades to the entire length of Interstate 64 through the state.

The KYTC Division of Planning has posted information a planning study  concerning extending KY 645 from US 23 near Ulysses to I-64

The entire length of I-64 in Kentucky has been designated the Purple Heart Trail. The Military Order of Purple Heart has undertaken an effort to have each of the 50 states and Puerto Rico designate one of their highways to honor recipients of the Purple Heart. Kentucky will erect 24 signs designating the Purple Heart Trail: one at each of I-64's entrances to the state and signs in each county along I-64.

More information: KYTC Press Release 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has posted the final report concerning the construction of a new connector route northeast of Grayson in Carter County.

More information: KYTC Division of Planning 

A new stop light configuration is expected to relieve congestion at the intersection of Main Street (US 60) and Carol Malone Boulevard (KY 7) in Grayson. The new light will allow drivers to turn left from Main Street onto Carol Malone Boulevard without waiting for on coming traffic.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Changes planned at busy Grayson intersection (Aug. 9, 2002) 

Thanks to Sherman for the link.

The Ashland Daily Independent reports in this Nov. 4, 2001 article  (no longer online) that an advanced carbon based polymer coating will be used to reinforce a flawed bridge over the Little Sandy River. The bridge which had been expected to remain stable for three to four years will now be stable for 20 to 30 years.

Update Dec. 7, 2001: Here is a Cincinnati Enquirer article  about the bridge.

H.B. Elkins suggests in two articles in the Usenet newsgroup misc.transport.road that work being done along the KY 7 corridor in Eastern Kentucky will eventually lead to a London-Ashland Highway similar to the Alexandria-Ashland Highway in Northern Kentucky.

More information: Re: Southern OH/ Eastern KY Roadtrip  and Re: KY: Expansion of KY 7 - Grayson-London Link 

After receiving mixed feedback on a proposed connector between Grayson and I-64, the Transportation Cabinet may consider multiple options to relieve congestion in Grayson. See this article  for more information.

The KYTC will be holding a public meeting on February 25, 2002 to discuss a possible new connector to I-64 northeast of Grayson. For more information, see here .

A number of new planning studies have been released including a new connector near Grayson in Carter County , reconstruction of US 27 in Garrard and Lincoln Counties , reconstruction of KY 101 in Warren County , reconstruction of KY 90 in Barren County , and reconstruction of US 25 in Boone County .

Update: The KYTC has also launched two new websites devoted to particular projects: KY52.com  for improvements to KY 52 in Garrard and Madison counties and E2RC.com  for information about the Elizabethtown-Radcliff Connector.

According to this Aug. 31, 2001 article  in the Ashland Daily-Independent, the KYTC is looking for a new home for a historic bridge. The bridge, built in 1922, currently carries KY 1947 over Barrett's Creek near Grayson. It is scheduled to be replaced; however, the KYTC is hoping to give the bridge to a local government or group so that that will not have to be destroyed.